For more than 50 years, Pepper, Johnstone & Company has insured countless homes of all different shapes and sizes. We partner with 60+ insurance companies so that you can consider options that provide the most appropriate protection for yourself, your family, and your home.
Homeowner Insurance
from Pepper, Johnstone & Company
In the realm of valuable assets, your home reigns supreme, serving not only as a financial investment but also as a sanctuary amid life's bustling chaos. When the unfortunate occurs, and your home faces damage or destruction, the imperative is a swift resolution from an insurance provider cognizant of this fundamental reality. Variations in coverage availability and pricing are inevitable across different companies. Pepper, Johnstone & Company stands ready to assist you in discerning the optimal fit among the array of companies we represent, ensuring a harmonious blend of bespoke homeowner insurance coverage, exemplary service, and equitable pricing.
Whether you are a homeowner or engaged in rental arrangements, securing insurance for your abode becomes crucial for financial security in the face of potential losses from fire, theft, vandalism, or other covered incidents. Tailored to your dwelling type—be it a house, apartment, or condo—a thoughtfully selected home insurance policy not only bestows tranquility but also furnishes the financial means to restore or replace your home and belongings. Furthermore, it extends coverage in instances where someone sustains injuries on your property, safeguarding you against potential legal judgments.
Home Insurance Policies
Homeowner insurance policies in Alabama vary based on the scope of covered losses, your selected coverages, and the type of residence you own. It's within your discretion to determine the insurance policy that aligns best with your needs—whether opting for a comprehensive policy covering losses like fire, hail, smoke, falling objects, vandalism, and theft of personal property, or selecting a policy that specifically addresses certain types of losses. The diversity in options empowers you to tailor your insurance coverage to suit your unique requirements and preferences.
Home Insurance Coverage Types
There are four basic types of homeowners insurance:
Structural and Personal Belongings coverages are available on an actual cash value (ACV) basis or at full replacement cost. ACV coverage considers the current market value of an item based on its age and condition.
So, if you purchased a television for $400 four years ago, the value today would be significantly less than it was when you purchased it. ACV coverage would depreciate the item's value to determine the current value.
Full replacement cost considers the current cost to replace an item.
Why Choose Pepper, Johnstone & Company?
Residents in Alabama benefit from our specialized services, as Pepper, Johnstone & Company delivers comprehensive homeowner insurance solutions uniquely tailored to the considerations of the state.
Rely on us to guide you in securing the right coverage, ensuring both peace of mind and financial protection for your Alabama home.
Your responsibilities
Make an inventory of your home and personal belongings. If possible, make a list as well as take photos or video - using two inventory methods can help expedite the claim resolution process.
Keep this list somewhere other than your home. Keep in mind that your homeowner's insurance policy doesn't cover damages caused by poor or deferred maintenance on your part.
Download our home inventory worksheet (PDF). We designed the worksheet to make the process of documenting your valuable possessions easier and less forgetful.
Market Value vs Replacement Cost
It’s important to note that market value and replacement cost value are mutually exclusive and do not represent the same thing. These are both uniquely different concepts that use different data inputs to calculate an amount.
Market Value:
This amount represents what a structure will sell for in the open market between a willing buyer and seller, in its current condition. This includes the value of the structure, land and any site improvements.
Replacement Cost:
This amount represents the total cost to reconstruct an entire structure of like kind and quality, using current market prices for labor, materials, typical overhead and profit by a GC and or architect and any license and permit fees. This amount also includes the cost of debris removal.
Frequently Asked Questions
about everything insurance
Home insurance premiums — the amount you pay to have a policy — vary based on the size, age, and location of your home, the coverage options you choose, the quality of coverage, and other factors. To find out how much it would cost to insure your home or a home you're considering purchasing, you can request a quote online →
Yes, but only up to a certain amount, which varies by insurance carrier. Jewelry, like artwork, collector coins and stamps, firearms, fine china, silverware, etc. fall into a special class of property, which carries a specified sublimit. Your best option is to purchase a personal valuables policy. Under a Personal Valuables policy, you schedule (separately list) each item to be insured and provide a dollar-value for each item. Items are typically covered at replacement cost value; however, there are times when agreed value can be secured. To learn more about personal valuables insurance and receive a quote, see here.
Yes! There are many homeowner discounts for which you may qualify. Here a few of the typical discounts: multi-policy discount, centrally monitored alarm discount, loss-free discount, paperless discount and paid-in-full discount. Contact us to see what other discounts you may qualify for.
No. Each dwelling is underwritten and insured separately, as it contains unique characteristics that differ from one dwelling to another i.e., insured dwelling value, year of construction, roof type, location, etc.
Always contact us first, so we can best advise you on whether filing the claim makes sense or can adversely impact your future premiums and is best for you to self-insure the loss. Don’t make the mistake of filing a small claim, since all claims stay on your claims record for 5-years, which will impact your insurance premium for a 5-year period. Let our in-house claims advocates help guide you through this process.
No. A standard homeowners insurance policy excludes damage due to flood. You will need to purchase a separate flood policy to protect your home and its contents from flood damage. To learn more about flood insurance and receive a quote, see here.
No. A standard homeowners insurance policy excludes damage due to earthquake. Depending on your insurance carrier, you may be able to endorse your existing homeowner policy to include earthquake coverage, at an additional cost. If your insurance carrier doesn’t offer earthquake coverage, you may be able to purchase a separate earthquake policy to protect your home and its contents from earthquake damage. To learn more about earthquake insurance and receive a quote, see here.
The amount of loss paid by the policyholder. Either a specified dollar amount and/or a percentage of the total dwelling value. The larger the deductible, the lower the premium charged for the same coverage, since you are assuming a higher loss amount by taking a higher deductible. Insurance carriers only pay losses above the deductible amount, so if the loss incurred is not substantially above your deductible, it’s usually best to self- the loss insure (i.e., pay the loss yourself out-of-pocket) by not filing it with your insurance carrier.
What do people think about us?
Hear from some actual clients.
We recently switched our home and auto policies to Pepper, Johnstone & Co and have had a great experience. Their entire team is not only knowledgeable but down to earth and willing to share their time, tips and creative ideas. They’ve helped us to achieve to comprehensive protection at the lowest possible cost. I would recommend Pepper, Johnstone and Co to anyone.
I am always pleased with the gracious and prompt responses to my insurance inquiries, to my specific insurance needs regarding several policies with Pepper, Johnstone & Company. The staff, especially Lauren Hart, makes every effort to take care of my insurance needs, addressing many concerns. I could not be more pleased and feel more secure knowing these folks are taking care of business for me and in my best interest.
Pepper Johnstone has handled my personal and business insurance needs for years. They do good work and their staff is amazing! They are independent agents so they have access to several different lines of insurance to meet the needs of their clients. I highly recommend them.
This is a great company to work with! Casandra did an excellent job making sure my claim was completed in a timely manner. Julie is always there to help me any time I need to make changes to my insurance needs. The staff is always professional to work with. I trust Pepper, Johnstone & Company with all my insurance needs and have for many years.
I started a company in January 2019 & the team at Pepper Johnstone helped me from the beginning. We serve mid-cap to large public companies in Alabama, Colorado and Texas. And, Bryan has been critical in helping us meet and maintain the required commercial insurance policies and coverage levels. Key reasons that I've been so pleased primarily include their high level of technical competence and timely responsiveness on new or changing insurance coverage requests. They do a great job & I can highly recommend them.
I have dealt with Pepper Johnstone and company in the past and have always had a good experience. This past week I needed a policy, I called Julie and she efficiently, and promptly quoted and bound coverage on the property. I would highly recommend Pepper Johnstone.
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